we had a vet appointment for 2:30 at the clinic for colleen to assess him. in the past week he has developed a swelling at the frontal part of his skull. given his other neurological symptoms and endless wandering, i was pretty sure it was a brain tumour.

colleen came out here with her son to meet lucy (lucy has gone home with them on a foster trial) and we decided to do bj’s exam up here, rather that stress him out in the clinic. she found a very painful mass in his belly and she felt with the neuro signs and the changing shape of his skull, that he probably had cancer in both the abdomen and the brain. she felt his quality of life was not good and the wandering and restlessness was from pain.

we have had him on pretty hefty doses of 4 different medications to manage that pain with minor improvement but not enough.

we decided to help him to pass today while she was here so he could die at home.

bj passed very peacefully in the memorial garden, he was sound asleep within brief minutes of the pre-sedation, he didn’t fight it at all.

i think it was the first time in a very long while that he was totally and completely free from pain.

renee, angelina and i were with him…he knew he was loved and cared for, he was not alone.

BJ in your short time at Saints you got to experience getting muddy during a field run, ice cream sandwiches and most of all love. I’m so glad you passed peacefully in the arms of people who cared and in the most beautiful spot I know the memorial garden.

This was a double whammy blog … I am sad to hear that BJ has moved on, but realize it was best for him & now he is pain free & happy again… go swiftly sweet dog there are friends there waiting for you… as for Lucy I was waiting for Colleen to take her … Now that she has… I have a BIG sadness in my heart… Boo Hooo I will miss my Woooooo …again I know it is best for her.. but I feel like being selfish & want her back to help me with the barn… I wish this part would get easier

Saturday night we raised a record $56,700. It takes a community to build something worthwhile. Saturday evening a community, bonded by love of the crippled crew at SAINTS, came together. The staff, volunteers and especially the crippled crew thank our community. pic.twitter.com/mPqt…

Willow passed away.
He had surgery earlier this week to remove a large bladder stone. He seemed to be recovering well but this morning the staff discovered he was unsteady and twitchy. He died within a few minutes. He most likely suffered a stroke and threw a clot, poor boy. pic.twitter.com/be3F…